Tag: Sarah Bernhardt

Art in NYC: Art Nouveau / Nouvelle Femme Posters by Alphonse Mucha at Poster House

The recently opened museum of posters presents Alfonse Mucha: Art Nouveau / Nouvelle Femme, its inaugural exhibition of posters and decorative objects; on view from June 20-October 6, 2019

Basking in the luxurious decorations, femininity, and beauty of Art Nouveau style of the belle époque Europe, the exhibition of about 80 works by Alphonse Mucha aims to bring back the history and the glory the poster-art. Mucha was a Czech artist who became famous overnight when he designed a poster for Sarah Bernhardt’s play Gismonda in 1894. As the legend goes, on Christmas Day in 1894, Mucha was doing the proofs at the printing house when an urgent  request for a poster came from none other than Sarah Bernhardt herself for a reopening of her play on January 1. Because of the holiday downtime, Mucha was the only one available to do the job. Mucha’s innovative design, subtle colors, and new accents impressed Bernhardt and his new poster style captivated Paris for the next two decades. Mucha’s signature halo-over-the-head design, intricate details and adornments, soft colors, and the double-length layout were perfect for storefront and street advertisement.

The exhibition of Mucha’s major works presents his art in two galleries. One gallery is dedicated to the advertising posters, which include designs for theaters, cookie brands, the beer-producing region, and bicycles and spirit companies among others. The second gallery shows the posters made for decorative purposes.

The exhibition curators rightfully credit Mucha with revolutionizing the world of advertising by placing la femme nouvelle, confident and adventurous in her choices, at the center of his compositions. His collaboration with Sarah Bernhardt, the most famous actress of her time, who herself was a strong, independent, and entrepreneurial person, resulted in such celebrated works as Gismonda, La Tosca, Hamlet, Medee, and other posters. Created for theater plays staring Bernhardt, these works demonstrate “le style Mucha” which dominated the art world from the early 1890s to 1910.  All the works in the exhibition are on loan from Richard Fuxa Foundation in Prague. Alphonse Mucha: Art Nouveau / Nouvelle Femme is on view until October 6, 2019.

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